Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears to have learned a thing or two from his frenzied attempts to mobilize the US Congress against the nuclear deal with Iran behind US President Barack Obama’s back. Netanyahu is now waging a battle to foil recognition of a Palestinian state by the UN Security Council during the period between the November elections in the United States and the presidential inauguration in January.
The prime minister has chosen to ignore the Sept. 22 prediction US Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro made in a Channel 10 interview that the Obama administration is likely to promote an initiative at the United Nations or in another diplomatic forum that could contribute to a peace effort to be continued by the next administration. Netanyahu undoubtedly noticed that the senior US diplomat, who has been privy to discussions on this issue at the highest levels, promised only that Obama would strenuously oppose a unilateral move against Israel and an attempt to delegitimize it. His promise in no way ensures an American veto of a proposed European, Russian, Chinese or Arab resolution calling for recognition of a Palestinian state coexisting in peace and security alongside the State of Israel.
